“There and Back Again: A Pumford’s Tale” IV

I actually stayed and worked an additional day with my parliamentarian staff – we were so busy writing questions and statements for the upcoming sessions of Parliament that I felt that leaving at the appointed time was not enough closure!

I had the fantastic opportunity of meeting with my Senator on my last day of Parliament. For forty minutes she shared with me her life story, the trials that initially beset her (she arrived in Canada as a Ugandan refugee), and the guiding principles she implemented that motivated her to succeed in life. It was incredibly insightful, and a very selfless action on her part.

Honestly, it was probably the most insightful experience of my internship, and it didn’t even pertain to politics in the slightest!

I’ve been taking the last week to experience the many museums that dot this beautiful city! Canada has a rich history and they love to respect that history. I have been especially struck by the Canadian War Museum, which describes in painstaking detail the contributions of the Canadian military in providing peace to a war-torn world.

Contrary to popular belief, the Prime Minister is not the most powerful political figure in Canada – the Governor General (the representative of the Queen) is. I got to tour his ridiculously huge mansion with one of my fellow internship coworkers, and it was incredible to witness the layers of history present in the building. Similar to the White House, each Governors-General added their own flair to the building. So cool!